Probably.
He grabbed his phone from the table at the side of his bed and opened the messaging app.
Countless messages had been sent to Kat, especially right after she’d left—and without saying goodbye no less. She’d disappeared on him without a word after promising they could talk.
That part had hurt the most. The morning he’d come back from his chores, he knew instantly something was wrong. The house had been eerily quiet despite not being any different than most other mornings.
He’d taken the steps two at a time to check on Kat in her room since he hadn’t seen her outside or eating in the kitchen.
The door had been ajar and when he pushed it open, he was met with emptiness.
Leo rubbed his eyes with his finger and thumb, hating what the memory did to him. The anxiousness and hollow sensation followed him even now.
When he’d called her, it went straight to voicemail. That was probably when she’d been on a plane. But after that, he’d calledseveral more times. Then sent text messages that were never answered.
He’d been embarrassingly persistent for the first two weeks after she’d left—until Jane stopped by and told him everything.
Kat was engaged.
Kat wouldn’t be taking his calls.
Things were over.
Denial had been a constant companion for the month following. Then that was replaced by anger.
Now, all he felt was a deep-seated numbness that no amount of food, sleep, or exercise could shake.
Leo scrolled through the messages he’d sent Kat. Message after message, pleading for her to call him—to give him something.
There were angry ones. Desperate ones. Even some that resembled acceptance.
Lumped together, they were the sum of his soul staring back at him.
He heaved a sigh and tossed the phone aside just as the door creaked open. “You coming down for dinner?” Reese asked.
Leo gave him a flat look—one that said ‘what do you think’.
Reese huffed as he glanced over his shoulder before shutting the door. “You need to let go, Leo. I get that you liked?—”
Leo shot to his feet, his hands in his hair as he paced. “I loved her, Reese. Love. Don’t you dare come in here and tell me to let her go again.”
Reese didn’t even flinch. He simply stared on.
“What would you have done if I told you to forget about Serenity, huh?”
“I would have told you to jump off a cliff.”
“Well, then do me the courtesy of telling yourself that.”
His older brother sighed. “She made her choice.”
“And Serenity made hers,” Leo snapped back. “She told you to leave for that training program.” Then he let out a baffled laugh. “And you did.”
“I didn’t really have a choice.”
Leo shook his head, pointing a finger at Reese. “We all have choices. That’s why Kat is in New York right now. She chosehim.” Well, she actually chosethem. Her father and Chaz.
“Exactly. She made her decision. It’s been months. You can’t keep letting this drag you down. Eventually you’re going to need to take control of your life again. Find a reason for life to be worth living again.”
